I was 2 1/2 years old when I was adopted and came to Utah.  When I was 4 1/2 years old I somehow contracted the flesh eating disease.  My mom and dad told me that within 5 days the disease had done so much damage to my right leg that the doctors felt like the only way to save my life was to amputate my leg.

I am currently a high school sophomore.  Right now school is my priority but sports have become my life.  As a small boy I tried tumbling, soccer, baseball, and basketball.  As I have grown a little older I play high school football, wheelchair basketball, cycle, ride my horse, and ski.  I have found that there is no sport that I cannot do.  I really love to compete in my favorite sports, skiing and wheelchair basketball.  All of these sports keep me active, motivated to stay up with school work, and keep my body in shape.  I guess you could say I am kind of a sportsaholic.

I started skiing in 2002 and compete in the disabled races and able-bodied races.  I started playing wheelchair basketball in 2007 with the Jr. Jazz program and advanced to the Wheelin’ Wildcats at WSU the following year.  In 2009 the Wildcats played in several tournaments in Las Vegas and the National tournament in Denver.  This year I will be playing with the Jr. Wheelin’ Jazz Developmental Competition Team and the Neuroworx Wheelin’ Jazz.

I was selected to represent the United States at the Inaugural Australian Youth Paralympic Games in Melbourne, Australia as a member of the 2009 Under 20 National Junior Wheelchair Basketball team.  It was a great honor to represent my country. Our team was undefeated, with a record of 7-0 and won a Gold Medal.

My goal is to represent the United States again in wheelchair basketball – summer games – and skiing – winter games.   I also plan to continue playing high school football and would like to help our school win another state 2A football title before I graduate.